Charina bottae

This species occurs in the west of the United States and in southwestern Canada. Its range extends from southern British Columbia south to west-central California, montane southern California (San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Tehachapi Mountains, Mt. Pinos, Mt. Abel), central Nevada and southern Utah, from the Pacific coast east to north-central Wyoming and western Montana, from near sea level to about 3,050 m (10,000 feet) (Stewart 1977, Stebbins 2003). Its distribution is spotty in many areas, particularly at the southern and eastern fringes of the range. Disjunct populations in the mountains of southern California have been proposed as a distinct species, C. umbratica (Rodriguez-Robles et al. 2001).

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)) The range extends from southern British Columbia south to west-central California, central Nevada, and southern Utah, from the Pacific coast east to north-central Wyoming and western Montana, from near sea level to about 3,050 meters (10,000 feet) (Stewart 1977, Stebbins 2003). Distribution is spotty in many areas, particularly at the southern and eastern fringes of the range. Disjunct Charina populations in the mountains of southern California are now recognized as a distinct species, C. umbratica (Rodriguez-Robles et al. 2001, Crother 2008).

Continent: North-America
Distribution: USA (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, W Montana, Nevada, N Utah, W Wyoming),  Canada (S British Columbia)  
Type locality: California; restricted to Coast Range, opposite Menterey by SCHMIDT (1953)

Length: 84 cm

Comments: Habitat includes woodlands, forest clearings, patchy chaparral, meadows, and grassy savannas, generally not far from water; also riparian zones in arid canyons and sagebrush in some areas (Nussbaum et al. 1983, Brown et al. 1995, St. John 2002, Stebbins 2003). Generally this snake is found in or under rotting logs or stumps, under rocks or in crevices, or under the bark of dead fallen trees.

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Comments: Diet includes mice, shrews, lizards, lizard eggs, snakes, and small birds. This snake generally kills its prey by constriction prior to ingestion.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: > 300

Comments: This species is represented by many occurrences or subpopulations. For example, Stewart (1977) mapped over 200 collection sites rangewide.

10,000 - 1,000,000 individuals

Comments: Total adult population size is unknown but surely exceeds 10,000 and probably exceeds 100,000. This snake is secretive, but under appropriate temperature and moisture conditions it becomes evident that it is locally quite common (Nussbaum et al. 1983, Brown et al. 1995).

Comments: Activity occurs mostly at night or dusk but also commonly occurs in daytime during mild cloudy weather. Most activity occurs from March to November.

Maximum longevity: 26.5 years (captivity)

Live-bearing; 2-8 young are born August-November.

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Widespread in western North America; secure due to widespread occurrence in many areas that still provide suitable habitat.

Intrinsic Vulnerability: Moderately vulnerable

Population

Population Trend

Global Short Term Trend: Relatively stable (=10% change)

Comments: Overall, the extent of occurrence, area of occupnacy, number of subpopulations, and population size probably are relatively stable.

Global Long Term Trend: Increase of 10-25% to decline of 30%

Degree of Threat: Medium

Comments: The species is not threatened in most of the range.

Major Threats

Conservation Actions

Global Protection: Many to very many (13 to >40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed

Comments: Many occurrences are in national and state parks and other protected areas.